Euro 2012: Italy's crushing 4-0 loss to Spain in final is all too much for Mario Balotelli

Oh Mario, oh Mamma Mia. Having hugged his adoptive mother Silvia at the final
whistle of that awesome semi-final victory, having so wonderfully scored the
goals to beat Germany, Mario Balotelli last night did what he said he
sometimes does: he went from Super Mario to Stupid Mario.

Heartbroken: Mario Balotelli is unable to hold back the tears after defeatPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

He showed his two faces. He looked a very, very young 21 year-old at the final whistle when he immediately stormed off down the tunnel although no one could have doubted his commitment until things conspired against Italy, two down and down to 10 men after a cruel injury to their third substitute, and being toyed with by the champions Spain who stroked in two more goals.

It was hard to take and Balotelli can be forgiven for that and, eventually, there were tears of his own last night to go along with those already shed by his older team-mates, such as Andrea Pirlo, who had not barged their way off.

He can be forgiven for it, of course, because of his age, to an extent, but also because he had a wonderful tournament in what was a wonderful narrative for the Italians before they faced probably the greatest national team to play the game with their legs feeling like they were filled with lead.

Rather than a star being born at this tournament, one still remains in the wings – to an extent – a Peter Pan (as Balotelli described himself) waiting to be fully airborne. In what became a finals dominated by stats and debate over their worth, there was an apparently telling one last night. According to Opta, Balotelli did not touch the ball inside the Spanish penalty area though to the naked eye, he appeared to carry a greater threat than that damning note.

His behaviour at the end was undoubtedly petulant, unsavoury, especially when he pushed aside an Italian official who tried to stop him leaving. As he was implored to stay and acknowledge the supporters, he muttered under his breath but finally did emerge to rejoin his team-mates, swigging a bottle of water with a swagger that looked out of place.

Even as Balotelli was the last Italian player up to collect his loser’s medal he appeared almost vacant. But then there were those tears and he did look what he was - a young man struggling to deal with disappointment but also one whose actions, after a limited performance, had shown how ridiculous it was for his opportunistic agent, Mino Raiola, to have declared that his client was now worth £200 million. Knock a nought off that figure.

Balotelli’s actions were coming. He had held himself in check - largely - during the match although that fourth Spanish goal tipped him over the edge. As they celebrated, Balotelli was on his haunches on the halfway line, not moving for what seemed an eternity until the game eventually restarted. It was his simple inability to process it all. Maybe also a sign that too much had been expected of him.

Silvia was in the stadium, as was her husband Franco, but there were no hugs in front of the supporters, no ability to get to him. Instead there were words from Italy coach Cesare Prandelli, a father figure for the striker, who said afterwards. “I told him these are experiences you have to deal with and accept. You have to hold your hands up and say they [Spain] were better. You have to make sure you grow and learn from it.”

Maybe it was a game too far for Italy as well as a game too early for Balotelli. His crime is immaturity, which given the stage is not a small one, but it is not a capital offence.

There were so many plot lines and stories, so many narrative layers to this Italian team and their campaign but nothing has caught the imagination like Balotelli, from sideshow and circus to main act.

Last night all eyes were on him. They were on him when he left the team’s pre-match pitch walkabout to talk to the fans, when he sat down in the dugout next to Prandelli only to be sent inside by the coach, on him when he stalked out last for the line-up ahead of the kick-off and certainly on him when he cleared out Sergio Ramos in the opening minutes – only for the defender to later push his head into the turf in retribution.

Italy were two goals behind in a blur. Pirlo was shackled and while Daniele De Rossi dominated for a period, fatigue and chasing shadows took its toll. If only Iker Casillas had not, just, clawed the ball away from Balotelli’s head as he shaped to reach a cross, if only Antonio Di Natale had scored or scooped the rebound to his fellow striker in the second half. Spain, though, were worthy winners.

For Italy it became a case of whether Balotelli would earn a card rather than the goal he needed to win the Euro 2012 Golden Boot as the finals’ top scorer. Except he needed two goals to make a contest of it and, by now, it was too much even if the cameras continued to seek him out as Spain celebrated.